Goalless draw number five for the season ensured Burton Albion have now ended a losing run that was threatening to cast them adrift in the Championship relegation battle.

It supplied them with a first clean sheet since January 1 - the last time they avoided defeat in the League - and provided another insight into the belief and confidence that is growing again among the ranks of Nigel Clough's Brewers.

The Albion team of this stalemate at Ipswich Town and the five-goal thriller at Aston Villa the week before is a far cry from the side that folded in defeat to Reading at the end of last month.

Playing a more composed, calculated and quality brand of football, Albion created much the better of the chances against a toothless Ipswich outfit.

Even in less than favourable conditions and on a pitch that cut up in the rain, the midfield trio of Jacob Davenport, Jamie Allen and Hope Akpan looked to get the ball down and urge Burton onto the front foot.

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Coming the other way, Darren Bent and Martin Samuelsen were fit and available again - and both returned to the starting XI.

Bent was given the lone striker role in a 4-5-1, with previous incumbent Lucas Akins moved to right-back, John Brayford shifted across to the vacant left-back role and Tom Naylor partnering McFadzean at the heart of the defence.

Manchester City loanee Davenport continued in the holding role that saw him star on his League debut the previous week, with Akpan and Allen partnering him in the middle and given licence to push Burton forward.

Samuelsen took the right flank, with Dyer stationed on the left.

Both wingers were involved aplenty early on, symbolic of Burton's willingness to get the ball down and spread possession, Davenport - again impressive - at the heart of that.

A couple of Samuelsen deliveries from the right were headed clear by Luke Chambers, while the West Ham United loanee was slightly wasteful in firing over the bar from distance.

Dyer got into a much better position when he was afforded a chance. The move started at the back, Naylor pinging a diagonal ball forward for Akins, who cut across and squared for Dyer.

Albion's leading scorer stood his man up and burst into the box, before firing a rising effort just over with his unfavoured right boot.

In a turgid opening 45, that was the only meaningful chance. But it was Burton's play in the middle third that had them pegged as the better team.

Allen, Akpan and Davenport - hardly the most physically intimidating trio among the Championship's midfields - bossed that battle and kept possession ticking over, while Naylor and McFadzean cut out a series of aimless long balls from Ipswich to prevent their opponents getting in behind.

While more than one Burton pass went frustratingly astray as they looked to attack, the intent was encouraging.

After a dour first half, the Tractor Boys were unsurprisingly quicker out of the blocks after the break.

But that momentary spark only won them a few corners that Brayford - in supreme form on his 50th Football League start for Albion - headed powerfully clear.

And it was from the head of Burton's captain that the visitors earned their best chance of the game.

He stepped up well to meet a Bialkowkski goal-kick and nod it through on goal, for Bent to race onto.

The Derby County loanee had barely had a sighting of goal in the previous 120 minutes or so he had played for the Brewers, but this looked a chance tailor-made for him.

He outmuscled Cameron Carter-Vickers and bore down on goal from the left, only to see Bialkowski react well and deny Bent's low effort with his legs.

The game quickly returned to its previous pattern thereafter, Burton dominating the play but unable to capitalise in ruthless fashion.

A substitute apiece looked to add a spark. Mustapha Carayol came off the bench to fire a powerful strike into Bywater's sidenetting for the hosts, while Liam Boyce got another valuable run-out for Albion.

Jacob Davenport has a shot at goal in the goalless draw at Ipswich Town (Image: Aaron Murrell/Epic Action Imagery)

While he again linked play well, there was to be no dramatic late strike for the Northern Ireland international this time.

Instead, the final say would fall to Bialkowski, Ipswich's standout performer by some distance.

Samuelsen arrowed a well-taken corner towards the near post in the 90th minute, and McFadzean met it with a glancing header that then deflected up off Chambers.

The Ipswich keeper showed superb reactions and strong hands to divert it over the bar, much to the dismay of the 169 travelling Brewers fans who made good noise throughout.